Ricky Hatton warns Anthony Joshua over ditching Rob McCracken

Joshua lost any imminent chance of a crack at Tyson Fury when he lost to Oleksandr Usyk at the end of September, and has a 2022 rematch with the Ukrainian to overcome.

Since the defeat there has been speculation that he would part ways with McCracken and bring in a new coach, which intensified when he toured gyms headed by Virgil Hunter, Eddy Reynoso, Ronnie Shields and Robert Garcia.

Speaking to the Daily Mail , Hatton suggested a new coach could change and improve Joshua’s game.

“They're obviously good trainers,” Hatton said.

“They're proven in their achievements; as a coach myself, they've achieved what I'm aspiring to do."

“When I went with Floyd Mayweather Sr, he showed me a few little moves and bits to add to my game. It was all new and different, it raises your confidence and I think that's what AJ needs."

“He's been with Robert since day one, and though they and the set-up at Team GB have done a momentous job, he might just want to reinvent himself.”  

Hatton warned against ditching McCracken completely, saying: “If he wanted my advice, why doesn't Rob go to America with him and work together? Rob can describe to the coach AJ picks how he ticks, how he likes to operate."

“Let's get it right, if he goes to a new coach, they're starting from scratch. A coach has to know a fighter, what he prefers, what he doesn't like. If Rob goes over with him, I think that's the smartest move they could make.” 

Hatton continued: “I'd keep the tactics dead simple: ‘[Usyk] outboxed me last time, this time I'm going to f—ing bash you". At this level, it's probably not as simple as that, but I just think there's so much AJ's got to offer."

“In the rematch, a lot of people say Usyk will do the same again, only he'll put his foot on the gas a little bit earlier and might stop AJ. I think the opposite."

“You've got to be able to adapt, and if it's one thing AJ has it's that adaptability. He can box, as he proved by winning Olympic gold and regaining the heavyweight title. He can mix it up; he was involved in a brutal fight with [Wladimir] Klitschko, so he's not scared of having it out. He can fight at a tempo, relax and box."        

“AJ has all the advantages: the size, the reach, the power, the strength. The only chance Usyk has is if he can box him or walk him onto a punch. So when AJ has so many strings to his bow, why did he use just one string? It was really mind-boggling."

“But he's an intelligent fighter, he'll watch the last fight back and learn from it. I think he'll perform better next time.”